Electric clock and like instrument.



H. CREBSE.

ELECTRIC CLOCK AND LIKE INSTRUMENT.

I APPLICATION FILED DBO.10, 1909. 990,342.

Patented Apr. 25, 1911.

2 SHEET S-SHEET 1.

H. GREESE. ELECTRIC CLOCK AND LIKE INSTRUMENT.

APPLICATION FILED DEG. l0 1909.

990,342. I Patented Apr. 25, 1911.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

prises a revoluble body carrying a number UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY cREEsE, or LoNDoN, ENGLAND.

ELECTRIC cLocK AND LIKE INSTRUMENT.

To all whom it may concern:

1 Be it known that I, HENRY CHEESE, a subject of the King of'Great Britain, residing at 9a Reeves Mews, South Audley street, in the City new and useful Improvements Relating to Electric Clocks and Like Instruments, of which the following is a specification.

This invention comprises improvements relating to electric clocks and like instruments such as for instance clock like motors required to drive scientific apparatus a given number of revolutions per unit of time.

This invention has for its object to pro vide an apparatus of this description-which shall have a simple action, occupy but little space, and consume only a small amount of electric current and nevertheless work accurately and reliably for long periods without requlring attention.

According to this invention the motor element of the clock or like apparatus comof weighted arms which are capable of being successively projected from the body at a certain point-in the revolution. While certain of the arms are thus projected to one side of the axis of revolution, other arms, at the opposite side, are permitted 'to approach the center of revolution, so that the weight on one sideof the body, acting at a greater leverage than that on the other side, exerts a-driving efiort upon the said body which latter is suitably gearedto a train of wheels provided with some form of escapement or regulator. It is convenient to employ an electromagnet for theprojection of the weights and preferably the armature of the magnet constitutes one arm of a double armed lever, the other arm of which lies in the path of the" weighted arms and the circuit being intermittently established at the proper moments, the lever is oscillated and successively projects the arms, means being provided for retaining the arms in the projected position for as long as is necessary. a

In the accompanylng drawings :Figure 1 is a front elevation of one construction of electric clock in accordance with this invent1on.- Fig. 2 is afront elevation on a larger scale than Fig. 1 with the dial of the clock removed. Fig. 3 is av sectional side elevation on the line III-III Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a side elevation of a modified form of arrangement for pro ectlng the arms, and Fig, 5 is a view of a modification. Fig.

of London, England, have invented outwardly,

magn locking tact with the obstructive arm m of Specification of LettersPatent. Patented Apr. 25, 1911. Application filed December 10, 1909. Serial No. 532,372.

modified form of pawl for holding the arms in the projected position. Fig. 6 is a detail 7 is an elevation of a pawl of the kind shown in Fig. 2 to a largerscale and Fig. 8 is a section of same.

According to Figs. 1 to ,3 the revoluble body takes the form of a disk or wheel a supported in aframing 6 and around the periphery of which a number of arms I) are pivoted on pivots a, each arm carrying a weight or bob 0 at its outer extremity. Two

sets of arms are shown, one set being pivoted to one side of the disk'or wheel a and the other set to the opposite the weight of ter distributed. The arms I) may be bent as side, in order that I the arms and bobs may be betat d or even knee jointed or they may be straiglit. Each arm I), moreover carries, not far from its pivot e, a projection f. A corresponding number of detents or pawls p are pivoted near the periphery of the disc or wheel a so as to alternate with the arms I) and in such positions that they will engage the projections f and retain the arms I) when the Weighted ends of-the latter are thrown so that the inner portions of the arms 7) stand, for instance, radially with regard to the disk or wheel a. An electroet h is mounted, suitably upon brackets 70 on the framing or support 6, at one side of the disk or wheel a and there may be a second magnet similarly supported upon the opposite side of the disk or wheel a. The armature of each electro-magnet preferably constitutes one arm Z of a double armed lever, the other arm m of which, or a projection 11. upon such other arm m, .lies in the path of the weighted arms I).

P The establishment of the circuit is secured by earthing one pole of the battery 0 on the framing 6, for instance at p, and connecting one terminal of the winding of each electro-magnet to the respective armature Z which is suitably insulated from the framingfi, the other terminal of the winding being connected direct to the other pole of the battery 0. With this arrangement the moment a weighted arm comes into colilit e double armed lever orthepi'oj ection n thereon, the circuit is completed and the armature Z, being attracted, rocks the double armed lever Z m. The arm m, or the projection n, now engages with a cam surface g on the weighted arm b, or with a cam? fixed to 4 tion of the weight 0 tends to the pivot of the arm 5 if the latter is 011 the opposite side of the wheel (1. Thus the particular weighted arm Z) making the contact is thrown outward so that the weight of this I arnr I) will be projected from the periphery I run in ball bearings and may carry a pinion of the disk or wheel a and thereafter pary gearing with the first member of a clock ticipate in the driving action, being atfirst I train suitably supported upon the framing l l l over-crowding, or mutual interference in working, of the parts.

The spindle a: of the disk or wheel a may retained in the projected position by the and having any form of escapement or regucorresponding detent 'g as stated above. lator, forinstance in Fig. 1 a pendulum 2 Subsequently the arm I) rests on a stop or is shown, and some of the wheels of a clock pin a which may be the projecting pivot of I train which is of any suitable and known the pawl g or a separate projection on the description.

wheel a. If desired the stops 8 may be In Fig. 1 a modified arrangement of arcovered with rubber to prevent shock when mature is shown for projecting the arms 6, the arms I) strike the stops 8. Immediately the double armed lever being arranged in a the weighted arm 6 has been thrown, the plane at right anglesto the plane of the disk circuit is broken, and a spring 6 pulls off 1 or wheel a the armature Z. A non-magnetic pin or disk I tion the double armed lever is arranged .in a u is fitted to the poles of the magnet so that l plane parallel or approximately parallel to when the circuit is made the armature rests the plane of the disk or wheel a. The acon the pin or disk u and does not contact tion of this construct-ion is similar to that with the poles. Thus the non-magnetic maof the construction seen in Figs. 1 to 3, terial, upon interruption of the circuit, preexcepting that the tip of the arm itself provents the armature from sticking to the jects the arms I). magnet. With this arrangement it may not Fig. 5 illustrates a modified form of pawl be necessary to employ a spring I? as the for retaining the arms I) in the projected armature l may be allowed to fall under the position. In this case the pawl comprises a action of gravity. The detents or pawls g lever Z on which is pivoted at 2 a ent lever drop out of engagement soon after they pass 3 fitted at one end with a weight or bob 4. the horizontal diameter of the disk or wheel The other end 5 is adapted to engage the a. If the projections f be laterally bent so projections f on the corresponding arm 5 as to extend over the periphery of the wheel and to hold the latter in the projected po- 0 as shown in Fig. 6, when the pawls drop sition. As the wheel a gradually revolves, out of engagement such projections 7 will the weight 4 gradually moves the end 5 0f abut upon the periphery of the disk or wheel the bent lever 3 out of engagement with the a and maintain the weighted arms still in projection f. As shown in Figs. 7 and 8, the projected position. As shown in Fig. 2 the hub 8 of the pawl is formed with a segan arm I) after the pawl has dropped out of mental end projection 9 which limits the engagement falls against the pivot pin .9 swing of the pawl in either direction by one of that pawl. lVhen an arm Z) passes the end of the segment or the other coming lower end of the vertical diameter of the against the pin 10 inserted through the pivot wheel a, and commences to rise upon the oppins. posite side of the axis of revolution, the ac- Among the advantages possessed by this fold the reinvention is its capability of ready adaptaspective arm I) and to move closer to the tion to existing clocks. periphery of the disk or wheel (1. Suitable What I claim as my invention, and desire stops are preferably provided to limit the to secure by Letters Patent is movement of the arms and weights inward 1. A motor for clocks and the like comtoward the axis of the wheel a because, of prising in combination, a revoluble body, a course, after rising past the lower end of the circular series of movable independent vertical diameter a pivoted weighted arm weights thereon, an electro-magnetic device would tend to hang vertically downward. operative upon said weights in succession to If the weights are maintained, however, move them away from the axis of revolution about level with the periphery of the wheel toward one side of said'axis, said weights o r d1sk a, the arms Z) are in a better pohaving an automatic return movement tos tion for being thrown outward upon arward said axis on the other side thereof inrival opposite the armature Z. As shown in dependently of the projection of said weight, Fig. 2, a convenient arrangement is that and means adapted to energize intermitaccordlng to which the bob 0 on each arm tently said electro-magnetic device. rests upon the next arm beneath, during 2. A motor for clocks and the like comthat per od of the revolution in which such prising in combination a revoluble body, a arm is rising to the point where it will be circular series of movable independent operated upon by the armature. weights thereon, an electromagnetic device The number and length of the arms Z) is adapted to be momentarily energized upon chosen with relation to the diameter of the the approach of each weight in succession disk or wheel a so that there shall be non whereas in the previous construcand to project the approaching weight away from the axis of revolution toward one-side "of said-axis, said weights having an automatic return movement toward said axis on the other side thereof independently of the position of said weight, and stops to limit the movement of said weights.

, mounted thereon, an electro-magnetic device successively operable on said arms to pro ect them to one s1de of the axls of revolution, said arms being returned gradually by gravity toward said axis on the other side thereof independently of the projection of said arms and means adapted 'to energize intermittently said electro-magnetic device.

4. A motor for clocks and the like comprising in combination a revoluble body, a circular series of weighted arms pivotally mounted upon said body, an elect-ro-magnet, an armature for said magnet normally in the path of approaching pivoted arms and operative to project successively the weighted ends of said arms away from and toward one sideof the axis of said revoluble body, and means under control of said body adapted to momentarily complete the circuit of said electromagnet whenever one of said arms is in operative relation with said armature.

5. A motor for clocks and the like comprising in combination a revoluble body, a circular series of weighted arms, pivotally mounted upon' said body, an electromagnet, an armature for said magnet normally in the patlr of approaching pivoted arms and operative to project the weighted ends of said arms away from and toward one side of the axis of said revoluble body, means under control of said body adapted to momentarily complete the circuit of said electromagnet whenever one of. said arms is in operative relation with--said armature, and

catches automatically operative to retain respective weighted arms in the projected position and to fall out of engagement with said armsat a certain point in the revolut1on of said body.

6. A motor for clocks and the like cor n- .-prisingin combination a revoluble body, a

whenever 'one of said arms closely approaches said striker.

7. A motor for clocksjand the like comprising in combination a revoluble body, a circular series of weighted arms pivotally mounted upon said body, an electro-magnet, a striker under the influence of said magnet and adapted to strike the nearest one ofthe series of arms when said magnet is ener-' gized in order to project said arm away from and toward one side of the axis of said body, gravity pawls upon said body each adapted to retain a respective arm in the projected position until a certain'point in the revolution of said body is reached, and

means under control of said body adapted to I complete the circuit of said magnet whenj ever one of said arms closely approaches sa d striker.

8. A motor for clocks and the like comelectrically connectedso as to constitute one terminal of the circuit of the winding of said magnet and positioned so as to, contact with each of said arms successively said 7 arms constituting opposite terminals of said circuit, whereby whenever .an arm during the revolution of the body moves into contact with said striker the latter is operated by said magnet and strikes the said arm into a projected position in which it exerts a turning effort on said body during a portion of a revolution.

'9. A motor. for clocks and the like comprising in combination a revoluble body, a circular series of weighted arms pivotally mounted upon said body, stops for each arm to limit the pivotal movement thereof, an electromagnet, a striker under.the influence of said magnet and adapted to strike the weighted arms successively into a projected position to one side of'the axis of revolution the circuit of said magnet being completed circular series of weighted arms pivotally.

mounted upon said body, stops for each arm to limit the pivotal movement thereof, an electromagnet, a striker under the influence of said magnet and adapted'to strike the weighted aims successively, into a projected position to one side of the axis of revolution the circuit of said magnet being completed by said arms successively contacting with saidstriker a circular series of gravity pawls pivoted on said body adapted to secure respective arms in the projected position, and

a pair ofstops for each pawl to limit the pivotal movement thereof.

11. A motor for clocks and the like comprising in combination a revoluble body, a circular series of weighted arms pivotally mounted upon said body, a stop for each arm for limiting the outward movement thereof, an electromagnet and a two-armed lever one arm of which constitutes an armature of said magnet while the opposite arm projects into the path of the approaching weighted arms near to the point in the revolution at which said weighted arms commence their descent, said weighted arms and said opposite arm beingoperative as circuit makers and breakers in the circuit of the winding of said magnet, the intermittent energizing of said magnet causing said lever to act as a striker to successively project said weighted arms substantially as set forth.

12. A motor for clocks and the like comprising in combination a revoluble body, a circular series of weighted arms pivotally mounted upon said body, a stop for each arm for limiting the outward movement thereof, an electromagnct, projections on said arms each projection being adapted to lie in the path of pivotal movement of the arm in advance whereby on one side of the axis of revolution each arm limits the inward pivotal movement of the next arm in advance, and a two-armed lever one arm of which constitutes an armature of said magnet while the opposite arm projects into the path of the approaching weighted arms near to the point in the revolution at which said weighted arms commence their descent, said weighted arms and said opposite arm being operative as circuit makers and breakers in the circuit of the winding of said magnet, the intermittent energizing of said magnet causing said lever to act as a striker to successively project said weighted arms substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

HFNR-Y CHEESE.

\Vitnesses Louis CARREZ, F. L. BANDS. 

